Love Never Dies
by harrypottergirlie89
Summary: Troy is the last person the Gabriella wants to run into during her first trip to L.A. But what happens when she does? Will flames rekindle in a fire that was never put out in the first place? Summary sucks! This is my first HSM Story!
1. Chapter 1

Traffic was a mess on the 101. None of the cars were moving, it was just dead steady. A siren could be heard from a far. Two young woman groaned at what was sitting in front of them.

"Ugh, why did you ask me to come again?" a young woman with chocolate brown eyes and dark, long locks asked her friend, mentally kicking herself for letting her friend talk her into going to Los Angeles.

"Because, you told me that you've never been here, and besides you need a Vacation, you haven't been on one in years!" her friend replied rolling her eyes.

"Right… And who would think that they're would be traffic on a major highway at Midnight!?"

The traffic started moving slowly, one car at a time.

"Finally!" both women exclaimed.

"Can you just take the next exit, and go from there, I think it'd be quicker." The friend told their cab driver.

The cab was moving slowly and got over a few lanes to take the next exit. The cab bill was already up to thirty dollars. The cab slowly got off the exit and onto a main road.

"Amanda, where are we staying again?"

"Gabbi, how many times do I have to tell you. One of my friends houses, Mark. And don't even ask if it's okay, because it's totally cool with him. He's totally chill. Mark probably won't even have time to hang out with us, we'll just do our own thing." Amanda laughed. "He has plenty of room in his house. Mark can loan two women two rooms for a few nights, while they're staying in L.A. Why are you so worked up about being in Los Angeles?"

"I have my reasons" Gabriella replied a little annoyed. Gabriella was a little hesitant about coming to Los Angeles. It was cool because she had never been there, but there was one person she did NOT want to run into. The person being a cartain young, shaggy hair, amazing blue eyed, L.A. Lakers Basketball player, that went by the name of Troy Bolton. He would bring way too many memories back into her mind that she didn't want to remember. She was finally overhim, finally over the heartache that he caused her over the years. About an hour later the cab pulled up to a gated house.

"Holy shit, where the hell does your friend live?" Gabriella asked gawking at the mansion that gleamed in the moonlight, before her.

"Can you just let us out here?" Amanda asked the cab driver.

"fity dollar" the cab driver replied. Amanda and Gabriella split the cost and both payed half of it. They climbed out of the cab and grabbed their suitcases out of the trunk.

"Hold on, let me call my friend" Amanda said while pulling her phone out of her pocket.

Ringggg…. Rinnngggg…RINNNNGGG

"Mellooo?" a sleepy headed Mark asked.

"HIIIIIIII! My friend and I are outside your gate. Can you let us in?" Amanda asked Mark.

"mmmmmm" he groaned, leaning over to his nightstand and pressing a button that was there. The gates to his mansion opened up and the two women walked in and up a long driveway to the house. There were about five cars outside his mansion parked.

"How many cars does a guy need to own?" Gabriella laughed. Amanda shrugged and laughed too. Amanda and Gabriella got to the main door and were about to ring the doorbell, but couldn't because the door swung open to Mark, standing in just his boxers.

"Nice first impression" Amanda giggled walking in to his mansion, dragging her luggage and Gabriella along with her.

"I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow." Mark told Amanda.

"Nooooooo, I told you the 11th we were coming in on the 11th." She replied, rolling her eyes. "Always mister forgetful"

Mark shrugged and started walking off back to his room.

"Ummm Helllllooo!? Where are we sleeping?" Amanda yelled down the hallway.

"Go past the the kitchen, first door on your right. I have to bunk you guys together for the night. I have some of the team staying tonight. Sorry, forgot to mention that. Remember, I'm mister forgetful" He yelled back. "And be quiet, they're sleeping and we have a big game tomorrow."

Gabriella and Amanda just giggled and started to walk off to the bedroom that they were staying in for the night. They passed the kitchen and found the first door on the right. They walked in and threw their suitcases in the corner and plopped onto the bed. The pair were both a little jet lagged from their flight and didn't care to change. Amanda and Gabriella climbed under the covers and fell asleep right when their heads hit the pillow. The sunlight came shining, bright through the unshaded windows. Gabriella woke up and noticed that Amanda wasn't there, but she smelled something good that was coming from the kitchen. She rolled off the bed, walked out of the room and into the kitchen. There sat about seven guys digging into pancakes, eggs and bacon. Two of the guys from behind looked oddly familiar, but Gabriella decided to dissmiss it.

"Dudeyourfriendneedstocomearoundmoreoften,thishearisamazing,ihaven't hadsomethingthisgoodinalongwhile" a raven-haried, fair skinned young man stated with amotuhfull of pancakes. Everyone just laughed.

"She is a great cook isn't she?" Mark replied kissing Amanda on the cheek, making her blush furiously. "Oh, good morning!"

"Good morning Gabi!" Amanda said a bit to cheerfully for the morning. Everyone turned around and two young men practically choked on their orange juice at the sight in front of them.


	2. Chapter 2

"Dude, DUde, DUDe, DUDE" a guy with dark skin and very curly hair whispered while hitting his hand on his friends arm to get his attention, but his friend was already staring, mouth wide open.

"Dude, Chad don't do that, I know, no need to grab my attention." Troy snapped. Troy and Gabriella locked eyes, but Gabriella looked away quickly.

"I don't think we met properly last night," Mark pointed out. "I'm Mark"

"I'm, I'm, Gabriella Montez," she told him locking eyes with Troy again, "I'm sorry."

Gabriella turned around and hurried out of the room. She went back to the room where she slept. Gabriella got back under the covers and pulled them over her head, not wanting to face what was right outside.

"Is it something I said?" Mark asked, trying to make humor of the awkward situation at hand. Amanda placed the spatula on the counter and turned the stove off. She went over to the bedroom and knocked on the door. Gabriella didn't answer, so she walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed placing a hand on Gabriella's shoulder.

"Gabbi?" Amanda asked. Gabbi poked her head out of the covers. Amanda noticed that she had tears in her eyes. "Gabbi, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Gabbi didn't answer. "What is it?" Gabriella sat up about to speak but there was another knock on the door, it was Troy. Gabriella gulped, she didn't want to do this, not on the first day of her so called vacation.

"Can we talk?" Troy asked simply, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. Gabriella sighed.

"Better get this over with" Gabriella thought to herself. "It was gonna happen sooner or later and I knew I was gonna run into him. I just had a feeling"

"Yea, we can talk."

Amanda felt the tension in the room and left the two to talk. She had no idea what was going on but if two people needed to talk and one of them being her best friend she was going to leave them alone. Troy walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Gabriella, I'm sorry." He told her. "I know I left you a great deal of heartache."

"Troy, you left for college without ever saying good-bye and then came back two years later. We picked up where we left off and then you left me _again_, again with out saying goodbye. I loved you and had no idea what to do. You left me in dust, like you didn't even love me, ever. You didn't even leave a note. Troy, it seemed like you never cared enough to write. You didn't care to even write a e-mail or even a letter. You didn't care to stay in touch with the so-called-love-of-your-life. You just didn't care Troy, and it pained me so much." She was crying now, letting every once of hurt pour out of her.

"El, I'm so sorry. I did it well because I didn't know how to handle our relationship. You are the first person I have ever loved, honestly, well other than my parents. I didn't know what to do with my feelings, so I just walked away from them. I didn't know how to handle it and we were getting really serious and it was my first serious relationship with someone that I loved so much," He told her truthfully. She didn't say anything all she did was cry. Troy took hold of her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Gabriella sniffed and looked at Troy. She hugged him tightly. Gabriella missed him so much.

"Yea, we were getting pretty serious, but I didn't run away from what I was feeling. All I wanted was to be with you, but then you went off without ever saying good-bye and that was one of the hardest things I had to endure. Not being able to say good-bye to the love of your life is really hard," she cried.

"I'm so sorry El, so sorry. Can you please forgive me? I promise this time I won't make the same mistake. Please?" Troy was now crying too. He buried his head into her hair and it was Gabriella's turn to hold him as he cried.

"I don't know Troy, I just don't know? Troy not only did I lose you as a boyfriend, but I also lost my _best_ _friend_."

"Please, El, please." Troy begged. "I'm so sorry El."

"You honestly think I can just forgive you, just like that?" Gabriella wondered. "It's not that easy Troy, put yourself in my shoes Troy. What would you do?"

There was silence except for the tears and the sniffles coming from both Troy and Gabriella. Troy looked at her with tears falling from his eyes. He could tell she was heartbroken, but all he wanted was her to forgive him.

"It takes time, Troy. You don't just expect me to forgive you in one day do you? I need time Troy. Give me time." She told him.

"Ella, Ella, Ella" he repeated putting his head into his hands. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" Gabriella held him as he cried. She knew he was truly sorry, but she couldn't forgive him just yet. She wanted to, really badly, but there was also something else that played in the back of her mind. Something that she couldn't tell him, not yet.


	3. Chapter 3

Troy got up and wiped his tears away.

"If it's time you need, I'll give it to you." Troy told her sincerely. He walked out of the door and into the kitchen.

"Troy what time are we-" Chad started to speak but was cut off by Troy.

"I'll see you all later tonight" Troy said grabbing his keys off the kitchen table. He left the house, if it was time Gabriella needed he was going to give it to her. Troy walked over to his car, opened the driver door, jumped in and drove off, where he had no idea.

Back at the house, Gabriella joined the group in the kitchen, but not before changing into grey sweat pants and an East High hoodie. The hoodie read "East High School" on top and below that it reads "School Decathlon Team". On the back it had "MONTEZ" in big, white letters. Gabriella sat down in one of the few opened chairs left, which happened to be right next to Chad.

"Heeeeeeeeeeey" Chad said with a mouthful of pancake. Gabriella turned to face him and gave him a look. "Well, okay then maybe later." She turned back around and placed her chin on the palm of her hand, leaning on the table. Amanda placed a plate of food in front of her and Gabriella dug right in.

"So, what do you two have planned for today?" Mark asked also joining the table with Amanda.

"Ummm, not sure, maybe some shopping or something or just walking around L.A." Amanda replied. "Why?"

"If you wanted to, I can give you tickets to our game tonight, we're playing Utah." Mark suggested.

"OH MY GOD, THAT'D BE COOL!" Amanda exclaimed. "I mean if it's okay with you Gabi."

"Uhhh, I don-" but before she could say anything Chad interrupted her.

"Sounds good. We'll see you at 5:30, game doesn't start until 7:00 but we have some pre-ritual game stuff, you guys should join us. It's our last game before we get off for the holidays. Anyways, I have to go run errands and stuff. See you all later." Chad said before Gabriella could pro-test. Chad ran out of the kitchen and out the front door. Gabriella just rolled her eyes, some people just never change.

Following suit, the rest of the team, that was still there, got up to leave too. They all thanked Amanda for the wonderful breakfast that they just ate.

"Are you sure you're okay with tonight?" Amanda asked getting up from where she was sitting and started to collect the dirty dishes to put them in the dishwasher.

"Yea, I'm fine." Gabriella replied. "Here let me help you with those" Gabriella got up and helped Amanda, Mark joined in too. The three of them started to clean the kitchen, who knew that a set of grown men could make such a mess with breakfast. Once the kitchen was cleaned the three of them sat down in the family. Gabriella cozied herself on a chair, while Mark and Amanda took the couch. Mark propped his feet on the coffee table and Amanda snuggled into the side of Mark. He put his arm around her.

"You two seem to have some chemistry going on," Gabriella stated. Mark and Amanda shrugged.

"We're just Best Friends" Amanda informed her. Right then, Gabriella's cell phone started ringing.

"Ohhhh, I better go get that." She said running off to grab her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello!"

"Oh hey Mom! How is everything going?"

"Oh, everything is going fine dear, just checking up on you, you forgot to call last night when you got in, it worried me a little."

"Oh sorry Mom, Amanda and I were just really tired from our flight last night, I kinda still am actually."

"Oh that's alright dear. So how is- alright, alright- hold on sweet heart, Gabriella there's someone that wants to speak to you, alright alright,"

Gabriella just laughed at the hustle and bustle she heard on the other end of the phone.

A small voice came over the phone. "Mommmmmmyyy??" Gabriella smiled to her self. "Hey sweetie. Are you being good for Grandma?"

The small voice giggled. "Uh-oh, should Mommy be worried?"

"Noooooooo" the voice giggled along with Gabriella. "Mommmmmyyy, whens are you cowing home?"

"I'll be home in a few days sweetie."

"Butttt wheeennn?"

"On Saturday sweetie. That's when my flight gets in."

"Buuu-buttt Mommy. That's soooo faw away." Gabriella could tell that the small voice was starting to cry.

"Awwww, baby girl don't cry. Mommy will be home soon, I promise."

"You pwomise?"

Gabriella's smile grew wider.

"Yea, I pwomise" Gabriella mimicked. "Mommy has to go sweetie, but I'll call later, I pwomise. Okay? Be good for Grandma, give her a big kiss for me and tell her I love her."

The little girl on the other end sighed. "Okay, I LOVEEEE youuu MOMMMYYY!"

"I love you too sweetie. See you on Friday, love you again. Bye, baby girl."

Then there was a click on the other lined. Gabriella walked back to where Amanda and Mark were.

"Who was that?" Amanda questioned.

"Oh, that was just my Mom and Maddie" she said.

"Who's Maddie?" Mark asked

"She's my daughter." Gabriella told Mark with a big smile.

"Yea, she's soooooo cute! She's sooo bubbly and cute! She's a good kid. I love spoiling her!" Amanda laughed.

Gabriella giggled, "Oh my god! You do! She like will just buy her things! She spoils her more than my mom does, and that's saying something."

"Awww but she's the cutest little girl! And she takes after her mom so much!"

Gabriella giggled again. "Sort of, she looks like me but with these brilliant blue eye, that just sparkle, which she gets from her father." Gabriella whispered the "father" part.

"Do you have a picture?" Mark asked.

"I do!" Amanda chirped. She pulled out her wallet and pulled out a picture of Maddie.

"She's beautiful and you're right she does have a sparkle in her eyes. But wow, those eyes are really blue."

Gabriella laughed an uncomfortable laugh. "Yea."

"So are you married?" Mark asked.

"Nope."

"Divorced?"

"Nope."

"Widowed?"

"No."

"Boyfriend's?"

Gabriella laughed at Marks attempt of trying to guess her relationship "status".

"Not to be rude or anything, but then what?" Mark wondered.

"Ummm, it's kinda complicated actually." Gabriella replied.

"Isn't it always." Amanda chimed in.

The three of them just laughed. "No but seriously, it's kinda complicated. I guess you could say that it was an ex-boyfriend, but sort of not really. See this guy and I were in love and we were really happy. I dated him for a few years then he left for college with out every saying good-bye. Then in his junior year of college he came back and we picked up where we left off and that's when Maddie happened. She's a blessing really. Then he left again with out ever saying good-bye again. And that's basically it really."

"Wow, where did he go to college?" Mark asked.

"Ummm… USC, with our friends, well some of our friends. Some went to USC and some went to UCLA." Gabriella said.

"He doesn't know, does he?" Amanda asked with a smirk on her face.

"Uhhhh, no. And neither does Maddie, well she's too young to understand anyways. I was going to tell her when she gets older." Gabriella told them.

"Don't you think that she's just going to get mad and angry when she gets older? I mean if you told her now she would grow up with the idea and get used to it." Amanda pointed out.

"Yea, but, I don't know. I mean what do I tell her now? That she has a father, but he doesn't know that she exists? Yea, that would go over well with a four year old." Gabriella just rolled her eyes.

"How come you didn't tell him?" Mark inquired.

"Ummm…" Gabriella paused.

"How do I say this with out revealing who it is?" Gabriella thought to herself. "Because I knew if I told him, that he would just stop everything for me and Maddie. He had a dream and I didn't want to ruin it. I loved him too much to let him do that, and I still do." She informed them.

"What was his dream?" Amanda questioned.

"Fuck" Gabriella thought to herself. "A pro-basketball player" she whispered.

"What?" Mark and Amanda both asked.

"A pro-basketball player" Gabriella said a little louder this time.

"Gabi, speak louder, we can't hear you."

"A PRO-BASKETBALL PLAYER! There I said IT!" Gabriella yelled. Gabriella started to cry.

"Oh my god!" Amanda asked. She moved from her position on the couch to where Gabriella was. Amanda sat on the arm of the chair and rubbed her back.

"Who is it?" Mark asked. Amanda threw a glare over to Mark.

"Woah, sorry I asked." Mark stated.

"No it's just that-" Gabriella started to say but broke out into a huge fit of sobs.

"It's Troy Bolton isn't it?" Amanda whispered in Gabriella's ear. Gabriella nodded.

"Who?" Mark asked again.

"Troy Bolton"


	4. Chapter 4

"Woah, Woah, Woah!" Mark exclaimed.

Gabriella kept crying. She was so in love with Troy, but she couldn't forgive him just yet.

"You guys can't say a word. I need to tell him myself, eventually." Gabriella said.

"We won't, we promise. You have to tell him Gabi; you have to tell Troy! He has a right to know that he has a daughter." Amanda pointed out.

"I know, it's just so hard to tell him though. I mean look at him now. This is going to ruin his career. The media is going to have a field day. There will be head lines reading "Troy Bolton has daughter that he never knew" or something like that. I can't do it. I know I have to tell him. I just can't do it. I can't ruin his career. He has everything going for him right now. I mean he's a mega-basketball-star. I can't ruin it for him." She cried.

What they didn't know though, was that a certain curly-haired, dark skinned man heard the conversation, he was just hidden behind a wall. Chad stepped from behind the wall.

"Hey, I-uh-I-um-forgot my-uh-wallet." Chad told them. He walked passed them into the kitchen. His wallet was sitting on the kitchen table. Chad started to head back to the front door.

"How much did you hear?" Gabriella asked him getting up from where she was and started to walk towards him. She still had tears streaming down her face.

"Everything" Chad replied just above a whisper. Chad pulled her into a brotherly hug.

"Don't tell him please?" she asked more as a question rather than a statement.

"I won't, don't worry, I won't. That's something you have to do. You know _we all _would have been there for you, no matter what." Chad informed her.

"I know, I just, I don't know" she sighed.

"You coming tonight?" Chad wondered changing the subject.

"Uhhh, yea we're going"

"Good, Tay and Sharpay will be excited to see you again."

"They're going to be there tonight?" Gabriella asked. "Wait, are you two still dating?"

Chad went red in the face and looked away. "Ummm, yea we are, well actually, we're engaged"

"Oh wow, Congrats!" she told him. Chad looked at his watch, cursed silently to himself and let Gabriella go of their hug.

"Sorry but I have to go, I'm late for meeting up with Taylor. We're putting our wedding announcement into the newspaper. But I'll see you guys later!"

"Have fun with that, newspapers and magazines will be all over that! Danforth to wed high school sweetheart!" Mark teased.

"Shut it Rowling, you know you'll be next!" Chad teased back.

"Huh?" Amanda asked. Mark glared at Chad and Chad chuckled.

"And with that I'm leaving" Chad said, and he did. He walked swiftly out the door.

"What was with that?" Amanda asked Mark.

"Oh, don't listen to Chad he's just full of him self." Mark told her, trying to get off topic.

Gabriella just smiled, Chad in some ways was still the good 'ol Chad from high school. She knew she could count on him for _anything_, he always played the role of the "big brother" and was very protective over her.

"Hey Gabby, wanna go shopping for tonight?" Amanda asked her.

"Why do we always need a new outfit for everything we must do?" laughed Gabriella. Mark just rolled his eyes.

"Why do girls love shopping so much?" Mark wondered out loud. Amanda glared at him. "Woah, sorry. But seriously, Girls go shopping** way **too much. And plus it takes girls so long to get ready! I just don't get the female species sometimes." Mark said shaking his head. Amanda picked up a pillow from the couch and threw it at him. He returned the pillow and accidently missed. Instead, he hit Gabriella in the head.

"Hey!" she giggled. She grabbed it than smacked Amanda upside the head with hit. Amanda grabbed another pillow and started hitting Gabriella. They were both giggling and laughing. All of a sudden they both stopped and turned on their heals and started walking towards Mark.

"No, No **WAY! **This isn't going to be fair! It's going to be two against one!" Mark yelled getting up and running down the hallway. The girls started to chase after him, they cornered him was whacking him with the pillows. They were all laughing.

"Do you surrender?" Amanda asked giggling.

Mark threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, Fine Fine! I surrender!" Mark paused for a little and waited for the girls to turn their back to him. "**NOT!**" Mark laughed and picked up Amanda. He started twirling her around and around.

"Mark! Put me down! Put me down!" Amanda protested.

"Okay!" he chuckled, but he didn't. He walked farther down the hallway to his room. Mark opened the door and then went over to where there was a sliding glass door and opened that too.

"Mark Aiden Rowling! Don't you dare! Don't you-" but Amanda's protests were too late. Mark threw her into the pool that he had. Gabriella just watched and laughed. They kind of reminded her of Troy back in the day. Her smile turned to frown. Mark turned around and saw her frowning.

"Hey don't you frown! Don't make me throw you into the pool too!"

"You do and I **kill **you!" Gabriella stated. Mark smirked at her and grabbed her. He picked her up and threw her into the pool too.

"You're so dead!" Gabriella yelled coming up from the water. The two girls climbed out of the pool and started to chase Mark again. They grabbed them, and with a team effort, they were able to push him into the pool. Amanda and Gabriella jumped back into the pool.

"You guys suck" Mark stated.

"Hey, it wasn't us who started it!" Gabriella pointed out.

"She's right you know." Amanda said backing her friend up. Mark sucked in pool water then spit it all in Amanda's face.

Amanda wrinkled her face. "Gross".

"I'm going to go take a shower." Gabriella told them and they both nodded. Amanda and Mark decided to stay in the pool for a little longer.

"The towels are in the closet in the room where you stayed last night." Mark informed her splashing Amanda.

"**HEY!**" Amanda yelled splashing him back. The pair got into a big water splashing fight, but not for too long because Mark grabbed Amanda and started to dunk her underwater. Gabriella got out of the pool and just smiled. The pair were really starting to remind her of her and Troy back in the day.

_Flashback._

"_Gabriella, Troy's here!" her mom yelled up the stairs._

"_I'm coming, I'm coming!" she replied. She appeared in her doorway and started to walk to the top of the stairs. Troy looked up and gulped. He was waiting for this night all his high school life, Prom night. To him, Gabriella was a vision, she was the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Gabriella was now at the bottom of the steps. Troy smiled his famous smile and Gabriella returned it. Troy was speechless. _

"_Wow-just-wow." He said. Gabriella and her mom giggled. "I have something for you" Troy pulled a white box from behind his back. Gabriella opened it up and gasped. _

"_It's beautiful!" she told him locking eyes with him._

"_Not as beautiful as you" Troy whispered just so she could hear. Gabriella was wearing a wine colored dress that came to just above her knee. Around the dress, there was a pink sash. She looked __**amazing.**__ Gabriella leaned up and laid a gentle kiss on his lips. Gabriella's mom was smiling through all the happy tears. Troy fumbled with the corsage and Gabriella giggled. It was evident that he was nervous. He slipped the corsage onto her wrist. They both just smiled. _

"_You both look so beautiful!" Gabriella's mom exclaimed. They both blushed. Mrs. Montez shoved them together and forced them to take a picture. _

"_Mooooommm! We're going to be late meeting everyone" Gabriella whined. Troy turned to Gabriella and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Mrs. Montez snapped the picture in front of her. _

"_Perfect" she said smiling. "Now go, I don't want you guys to be as late as you already are!"_

"_Bye Mommy!" Gabriella said kissing her on the cheek and giving her a kiss on the cheek. _

"_Yea, bye mom!" Troy laughed, mimicking Gabriella. He hugged Mrs. Montez too. Mrs. Montez then shooed them out the door and to Troy's car_. _The pair walked hand in hand and drove off into the night._

Gabriella sighed. "Why do I miss him so much?" she asked to herself. Her heart spoke to her, "because love never dies". And with that Gabriella hopped into the shower,


	5. Chapter 5

Gabriella stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her. She stepped into the room and rummaged through her suitcase trying to find something to wear. She grabbed a pair of her dark skinny jeans and a silver sequined shirt. Gabriella grabbed her black pumps and walked out of the room. She walked back towards Mark's room, heading towards the pool. Gabriella opened the sliding glass door and closed it behind her. She was about to say something, but there was an interesting sight in front of her. Mark and Amanda were having quite a heated make-out session.

"Ahem" Gabriella said. Mark and Amanda pulled away and blushed furiously. Amanda swam to the edge of the pool and jumped out. She hurriedly ran into the house. Gabriella just giggled.

"Soooo…" Gabriella stated.

"I promise we're-" Mark started to say, but was interrupted by Gabriella.

"Just friends?" she questioned.

"Uhhhh---yeaaa." He replied.

"Suuurrreeeee" Gabriella giggled again walking back inside.

Mark sighed. He didn't even know where he stood with Amanda. They were supposedly "just-friends". He wanted-no they both wanted-something more, but the other just didn't know that. He too climbed out of the pool and headed into his room. He quickly changed into jeans and a yellow Lakers shirt. He walked out of his room and down the hallway. Mark walked into the family room and saw Gabriella watching television. She waved and motioned for him to sit down.

"What asking me to sit down in my own house?" Mark asked chuckling and pretending to be hurt at the same time. Gabriella smiled.

"It's really nice of you to let us stay here" Gabriella thanked him.

"Anytime, you guys are welcome here always. Other than my family and the basketball guys, I don't get much visitors" he told her.

At that moment Amanda walked in wearing blue skinny jeans, 3-inch heel black leather boots and a black shirt that showed off her curves. It had a cheetah styled built-in-belt, a little under the bust line **(a/n does that make sense? My roomie wore this outfit and I fell in love with it and had to put it into my story :). **

"Wow, you-look-wow" Mark said stunned. "When did you get so fashiony? You weren't like that growing up."

"What a tomboy can't grow into a girlie girl?" she asked smiling. Mark just sat on his couch, with nothing else to say. Amanda smiled silly, like a little girl on Christmas. "Ready?"

"Oh yea, of course" Gabriella replied standing up.

"Here take my car" Mark said tossing his keys at Amanda. Amanda looked at him puzzled, Mark just laughed.

"Which car is it?" Amanda wondered. Mark smirked at her.

"You'll see," He told her. Amanda walked over to the couch, bent down and kissed his cheek.

"We won't be long" Amanda said. Mark started laughing uncontrollably.

"Whattttttttt???" she stated.

"Nothing" he smiled.

"You know the longer we stay here the shorter time we have shopping" Gabriella pointed out. With that comment Amanda pulled Gabriella out of the house.

"I wonder what car he gave us," Amanda thought. She pressed the lock button on the car key chain. A high-pitched sound came from one of Mark's cars and Amanda squealed with delight. She ran over to a silver SL 500.

"OHMYGOD!" Gabriella exclaimed running around to the passenger side of the car. Both girls squealed really loud. Amanda pressed the engine button and the engine immediately started, both girls jumped. Amanda pressed another button and the roof folded down.

"I can't believe he let me borrow this car!!!" Amanda yelled. She pulled her sunglasses out of her purse and then pulled out of the driveway. "He's never let me borrow this _**one **_before!" Gabriella laughed. It was obvious that her best friend was in love, but so oblivious. Gabriella put on the radio and the song **"Love Song"** by: Sara Bareilles came on. They both laughed and started singing along to the song. The pair drove off into the California sun to their first store.

A few hours and a few stores later, they found themselves in a store called Anthropology. They were both in the fitting rooms, one right next to the other.

"So what's the **REAL** deal between you and Mark?" Gabriella asked her honestly.

"We've been best friends forever. We grew up together. I've known him since Pre-K and he was my first crush." She replied honestly. "We went on a **few **dates but we were never an official item or anything. I mean, I really like him, he was my very first kiss."

"You still-" Gabriella started to say.

"Oh my god, Gabi, how does this look." Amanda said coming out of the dressing room, Gabriella came out of hers too. Amanda was wearing a halter baby blue top and jeans.

"Too teenager." Gabriella told her.

"Ugh! Ohhhh I like your dress it's sooo cutee!" Amanda squealed.

Gabriella's dress was a mid-night blue dress with folds all down the dress. The dress came to her knee.

"You so have to get it!" Amanda exclaimed. "It looks sooo cute on you!"

"You think?" Gabriella smiled spinning around in the dress. They both giggled.

"I give up on shopping!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Yea righttt." Gabriella stated. They both giggled again

"You're riggghhhtt. So are you going to get the dress?" Amanda wondered. Gabriella nodded and spun once more in the dress and giggled. They both went into their changing rooms to change back into their other clothes. Gabriella came out first and went up to pay for her dress. Amanda closely followed her. When the dress was paid for, both girls head over to pinkberry to grab some ice cream. They each got brownie sundaes and then headed back to the car with all their shopping bags.

"I LOVE Los Angeles!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Me too" Gabriella added. "I'm having so much fun already and it's only the first day!"

"Oh crap, we better start to head back if we want to make it to pre-game stuff for the guys. I do have to warn you though, it can be kinda crazy." Amanda laughed, speeding off towards Mark's house.

"Really? You've been to one before?"

"Yea, this was just my first time meeting the whole team."

"Ohhhh that's cool."

"Yea. Troy and Mark lead the team into a bunch of team chants and even a pre-dance party." Gabriella raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm totally serious! They're totally crazy, when it comes to pre-game rituals, it's ridiculous."

"For some strange reason I can actually picture the both of them, but especially Troy, doing that. Oh God, this shall be interesting." Gabriella laughed and turned up the radio. The radio station was playing "Misery Business" by: Paramore. The pair started to belt out the lyrics to the song and sang along. Before they knew it, they were back at Mark's house. Mark came running out of the house to meet them.

"Hurrrryyyyyy!" Mark exclaimed. "Or else you're going to miss all the rituals we do down in the locker room".

The girls ran into the house and came out ten minutes later, they were both wearing Lakers shirts that they found in Mark's drawers. The shirts were way too big for them, so they tied them in the back. Mark was already sitting in one of his many cars waiting for them. The girls climbed in and the three of them sped off to Staples Center.

**A/n: Wow, sorry this has been such a delay, I've been busy with finals and the holidays! I hope everyone's holidays are good! Enjoy the New Year! I just wanted to thank everyone that has reviewed; I've enjoyed reading all your reviews. The next chapter might not be for a little while because I don't have any good ideas, so if you guys have any good ideas let me know, because I definitely need some help! Thank you again for everyone who has reviewed!**


	6. Chapter 6

Mark, Amanda and Gabriella were walking down the stairs and could hear music blaring from the Lakers locker room. They could here "Get buck in here" blaring from the speakers. Gabriella opened the door to the locker room slowly and walked in. The locker room was quite a site, music was blaring, hot guys were changing into their basketball uniforms, and Troy was leading them in a prayer/chant at the same time. Mark pushed pashed Amanda and Gabriella and ran to his locker, which was next to Chad's.

"Dude, where have you been?" Chad asked him. Mark laughed and pointed towards Amanda and Gabriella. Chad laughed and signaled for them to over. They walked over to hi. "GGGAABBIIII" Chad said getting up and giving her a big bear hug.

"Oh God. How I missed your hugs!" Gabriella joked. Chad smiled.

"Taylor and Sharpay should be somewhere around here." He told her looking around. He saw a blonde hair girl talking animatedly to one of the players and threw a rolled up sock at her. The sock hit her in the back of the head and she spun around looking for the culprit. Chad couldn't hold his laugh in and started cracking up.

"Chad Michael Danforth! YOU ARE SO DEAD!" Sharpay screamed, turning back around and grabbing a hanger from the guys' locker she was talking to.

"Oh shit" Chad exclaimed as he saw Sharpay running at him with a hanger. Chad stepped right behind Gabriella for "protection". Sharpay tried hitting Chad with the hanger by reaching around Gabriella. Taylor walked over and shook her head at Chad and Sharpay. Taylor took the hanger out of Sharpay's hand and laughed. Sharpay then whacked Chad across the head, still with Gabriella in the middle.

"Owwwwww Sharrrpayy!" Chad whined. 

"What could my hansom fiancé have done to you?" Taylor wondered giggling. Sharpay rolled her eyes and Chad stuck his tongue out at her.

"He threw one of his…" Sharpay just stopped and stared at the girl in front of Chad and pointed at her. "Oh My God"

"What?" Taylor asked and also turned her attention to the girl in front of Chad.

"No way." Sharpay said.

"OH MY GOD!" both girls squealed and threw their arms around Gabriella. They jumped up and down.

"We haven't seen you in years! Does Troy know you're here?" Sharpay said getting to the point. Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"He's seen me, I don't know if he knows I'm in the locker room yet. Oh Sharpay, Taylor, this is Amanda one of my friends, she teaches at East High with me." Gabriella said introducing Amanda to Sharpay and Taylor. "Amanda this is Sharpay and Taylor, friends from high school."

"HIIIII!" Amanda said in a way too high-pitched voice. She shook hands with Taylor first and then Sharpay. "I'm succchhhh a BIG FAN of yours! You have no idea!"

"Thank you" Sharpay thanked smiling. There was a tap on Gabriella's shoulder and she turned around. Troy. Troy smiled at her.

"Who invited you?" Troy wondered chuckling. Chad raised his hand.

"Guilty as charged!" he said. Everyone just laughed. The song "Dance Floor Anthem" blared over the locker room.

"Five minutes until warm-up time" the coach yelled over everything. The music died down and the whole team and their friends got into one big huddle. Troy pulled Gabriella over to him and Mark stood next to Amanda. Everyone crossed their arms and held hands together.

"Dear God, we just wanted to thank you for this season so far. We also wanted to thank you for new friends and old friends that are here with us to wish us luck tonight. We would like to pray that we play a good game tonight and end on a good note before the holiday season. Amen." Mark said.

"Amen" everyone replied.

"Now for those who don't know this is the squeeze of the hand thing. Once you get a squeeze of the hand you pass it on to the person on your left until it's gone around the circle. Gabriella would you like to start?" Troy stated turning his head to her. She paused and replied "Sure". Within the next minute it was passed around the circle and it ended it with Troy.

"ONE…TWO…THREE LAKERS!" everyone cheered.

Everyone started yelling and the guys ran out of the locker room and to the court. Fans were going crazy and many people had signs that said "Go Lakers", some even said "I LOVE NUMBER FOURTEEN!" Amanda, Gabriella, Sharpay and Taylor went up to their courtside seats to cheer on the Lakers.

"ROWLING STEALS THE BALL FROM ROGERS, THROWS THE BALL DOWN HALF COURT TO DANFORTH WHO HAS A CLEAR SHOT, SHOT GOES UP AND SCOOOORRRREEE!" one of the announcers yelled in his microphone. The announcer turned to his co-announcer. "I don't know what it is tonight Jack, but the Lakers are really on tonight."

"I know Bob, there must be something in the air tonight." Jack stated.

"Or someone. I don't know if you've noticed but Danforth's fiancé is here tonight cheering him on." Bob replied, both men chuckled.

"It's not just him Bob, It's the whole team, but especially Bolton and Rowling. I think this is the best they have played ALL season. They too must have someone special in the stands tonight. I've heard that Miss. Evans is here tonight also"

"Yea, but Bolton dismissed that rumor a while ago, saying they've been friends since senior year in high school. Okay, one minute left in the game, Bolton has a clean break away, takes the ball all the way to the hoop and SLAM DUNK!" Jack one of the announcers exclaimed. "Thirty seconds left in the game and the Lakers are winning by fifteen points. 29…20…15…10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1... AND THE GAME IS OVER, LAKERS WINNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!" The crowd was going wild, everyone was yelling and screaming. Gabriella and Amanda were jumping up and down. The four girls waited about twenty minutes for the crowd to leave Staples Center.

"We're just going to wait here for the guys, we always do." Taylor said. The girls waited about another twenty minutes until they saw the guys walk out. Troy was wearing Lakers sweats and an East High Sweat shirt. Chad was wearing a UCLA swear shirt and jeans and Mark was wearing Lakers everything, sweat shirt and sweat pants. There were about fifteen people waiting around, hoping some of the team would come up and sign autographs. They guys went over and signed them all and took pictures. Troy was the last one to walk over to the girls.

"Congratulations!" the girls yelled.

"Who's up for celebrating?" Sharpay asked. Everyone shrugged and agreed.

"Drinks are on me!" Troy said. They walked to their cars. "Same place?"

"Yea, that's fine." Chad and Mark said and the girls agreed.

"Want to ride with me?" Troy asked Gabriella. She paused thinking really hard if she wanted to ride with him or not. She decided why not, it wouldn't hurt would it?

"Uhhhh surrrree." She replied. Sharpay came with Taylor and Chad, so she rode with them and Amanda with Mark. Troy drove to the normal celebration spot "Hodge's". **(a/n so MADE up lol** Troy and Gabriella just sat in silence until Gabriella broke the silence,

"So what are you doing for Christmas, it only being a week away?" Gabriella asked him.

"Actually, I'm coming home for like the first time in what two years?"

"Actually Troy it's been more like five." Gabriella replied rolling her eyes.

"Really? That long huh?" Gabriella scoffed at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." She snapped.

"Woah, what's with the sudden attitude all of a sudden?" Troy wondered.

"Attitude!? ATTITUDE?! Oh Troy that wasn't attitude, but I can give you attitude if you want!" Gabriella exclaimed throwing her hands up in the air. Troy pulled into a parking space. Troy just rolled his eyes. "Don't you dare roll your eyes at me Bolton! You haven't been around for five years, not even a fucking phone call not even a letter." Troy unbuckled and Gabriella followed suit.

"You make it seem like I missed out on something major or something!" Troy stated.

"Yea your daughter" Gabriella thought to her self. The car was quiet and awkward.

"Yea Troy, you didn't miss out on anything, just someone that loved you but obviously you didn't care." Gabriella pointed out and with that she climbed out of the car and slammed his car door. Troy hit his head on his steering wheel, but jumped out of the car and ran after Gabriella. He pulled her back.

"WHAT!?" Gabriella snapped, Troy noticed she had some tears in her eyes.

"Ella." Troy whispered, he breathed in her scent. "I'm sorry I haven't been around for the past five years. I was stupid, stupid and young. It was a mistake. A major mistake and I see that now. I should have never left you in the dust. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made, but please, please forgive me! I know you told me you need time but…"

Gabriella interrupted him, "But what Troy? What do you want me to say? Troy what am I supposed to do?" Troy looked down to the ground and Gabriella sighed. She took her hands and placed them on his cheeks. She brought her head to his.

"Troy, I never stopped loving you, truthfully. I want to give you a second chance, really, it's just, I just ran into you today, and---" then there was a flash and they both jumped. Photographers swarmed them snapping pictures and yelling things at Troy. Gabriella blinked as more lights went off. Troy grabbed her and pulled her close.

"Don't you guys have something better to do?' Troy bellowed.

"Troy! Who is she? What about Ms. Evans?" one photographer asked. Troy rolled his eyes. Troy took Gabriella's hand and walked inside Hodge's.

"You okay?" Troy asked her making sure she was okay.

"Other than that scaring me half to death, I'm fine." She replied.

"I'm sorry… for everything." he said looking into her eyes. Gabriella smiled at him and got lost in his crystal blue eyes. Her heart melted a little inside. Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy and buried her head in his chest. They saw everyone else and walked over, and sat down with them.

"God I hate paparazzi" Troy said.

"You got hounded too?" Mark asked.

"Yea and they scared Gabriella half to death." Troy rubbed Gabriella's back comfortingly.

"I think we should just go" Sharpay pointed out.

"Yea, that'd be a good idea." Chad replied. No one had ordered any drinks so they were fine.

"Why don't we go to some one's house" Taylor suggested. Everyone agreed and decided to go to Troy's. They walked out of the restaurant and tried to ignore the paparazzi. Gabriella hung onto Troy and buried her head in his chest. Troy opened the door for her and he then ran to the driver's side. Troy turned on the car and sped off to his house, with everyone following. Well so far the night was very eventful with it's ups and downs and was on the verge of getting more eventful.


	7. Chapter 7

They pulled up to Troy's house and already there were photographers camped out.

"Oh my god, Troy, your house it's" Gabriella started to say but was interrupted by Troy.

"Big, yea I know but I love it"

"No, well yea, but it's beautiful." She told him.

Troy got out of the car and went to Gabriella's side to help her out. His house was, well a mansion, it had white pillars and was designed like an old-Victorian house from the civil war era. Amanda, Mark, Taylor, Chad and Sharpay were right behind them. The paparazzi were snapping pictures like there was no tomorrow. One jumped from behind a bush, making Gabriella jump ten feet in the air.

"I swear to god, if you ALL don't get off my property now, I'm calling the cops! This is PRIVATE property, you're not supposed to be here, get off NOW!" Troy yelled, but especially to the guy in front of him.

"A little feisty tonight are we?" the guy asked snapping more pictures. "AH, Ms. Evans, glad to see you!" The guy moved from Troy to Sharpay. Troy, Chad and Mark intervened and stepped in front of her.

"If it's the pictures you want, we'll give it to you, just not her" Mark said.

"Taylor and Sharpay take Amanda and Gabriella inside." Chad said. Sharpay tried to walk around them but another photographer came around started taking pictures of Sharpay,

"What do you not understand about leaving her alone?" Gabriella said intervening and walking up to Sharpay pulling her along.

"Ohhhh who are you?" another paparzzi asked.

"She got out of the car with Bolton." Another one yelled running up and also started taking pictures. Gabriella helped Sharpay push past them and Amanda came up and helped them too. The guys were trying to shoo the paparazzi away, but more and more started coming.

"So Sharpay, how along are you with your basterd child, because we all know that you're going to be one hell of a mother and when I say hell, I mean HELL!" one paparazzi yelled. Sharpay stoped, but Amanda grabbed her and pulled her up to Troy's house. Sharpay was distraught and crying. The girls were right behind her.

"You know what that's it. There's a difference between taking pictures and harassment and you sir that was harassment!" Troy bellowed as he took a step closer to the guy. He pulled his cell phone out and started dialing the cops.

"I would leave if I were all of you, before the cops show up." Chad screamed out.

"At least your getting married Danforth and won't have basterd children." The same guy stated. "Oh and who knows about Bolton, he could have a _child _somewhere that we don't know about. I mean he does have a large woman fan base. Who knows how many children he could have, ALL with different mothers!"

Gabriella was at the front door of Troy's house, but heard everything that the one paparazzi said and she froze on the spot.

"You okay? Don't listen to any of that. That's all nonsense. Everyone could hear sirens coming and with every second they were getting closer. Taylor was comforting Sharpay who was crying into her arms.

"Get off my property now." Troy bellowed. The cops pulled up to Troy's house and got out. Troy ran over to them and explained them everything. All the cops did was ask everyone to leave, they weren't that helpful at all. The boys walked up to the front door where the girls were waiting.

"I thought you guys were going to enter the house." Chad laughed trying to make a stressful situation out to a humorous one. Taylor glared at him as Sharpay continued to cry in to Taylor's. Troy unlocked the door and they all entered Troy's house. Once inside Troy took Sharpay from Taylor and pulled her into a brotherly embrace.

"It's going to be okay Shar, you know the paparazzi just try to egg you on. It's not like you're actually pregenant or anything" Chad pointed out.

"Yea, it's just total bullshit!" Mark agreed. Taylor glared at Chad then to Mark then back to Chad.

"WHAT, what did I say?" Chad wondered while Taylor rolled her eyes.

"I don't get it." Sharpay cried pulling away from Troy and joining Amanda, Gabriella and Taylor on the couch.

"Don't get what?" Mark asked. Sharpay leaned on Gabriella for support.

"Sharpay, are you pregnant?" Gabriella whispered. Sharpay nodded. Taylor was rubbing her back soothingly.

"How far along?" Troy inquired.

"About three months." Sharpay replied in a small voice.

"Does Zeke know?" Chad asked.

"Not yet."

"You do plan on telling him, don't you?" Troy wondered. Sharpay shrugged. "Sharpay if I were him I would _want to know_! I would _want to know_ that I'm going to be a _father_, it's only fair to _him_." Gabriella's face went deathly white and she let go of Sharpay. Taylor took her back as Sharpay continued to cry. Mark's eyes darted over to Gabriella and Chad noticed this arching his eyebrow.

"Ella, you okay?" Troy asked walking over to her.

"I think-I um-need some-um-water-yea-water." Gabriella stuttered. Troy walked into his kitchen, went into the fridge and grabbed a water bottle, he opened it and brought it back to Gabriella, who thanked him.

"Sharpay, if you don't tell Zeke I'm going to tell him for you." Chad stated.

"OH NO YOUR NOT! SHE NEEDS TO TELL HIM ON HIS OWN! IT'S JUST GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE IF YOU TELL HIM! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF I WAS IN SHARPAY'S SHOES AND SHARPAY OR GABRIELLA TOLD YOU THAT I WAS PREGNANT?" Taylor yelled at Chad. Gabriella started choking on her water.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" Troy asked whispering in her ear. Gabriella's eyes started to water and she shook her head no. Amanda switched spots with Sharpay and started to comfort Gabriella who was now crying. Right then Gabriella's phone started ringing, she ran out of the room and picked it up. Gabriella ran to the first room she got to, which happened to be Troy's. Troy wanted to follow her but Mark and Amanda held him back.

"Hello?" Gabriella cried into the phone.

"Mama! MAMA, are you crying?" her daughter wondered on the other line.

"What are you still doing up! It's almost MIDNIGHT and Yea sweetie, Mama is crying, she just saw a sad movie is all" Gabriella lied wiping her eyes. "Does Grandma know you're on the phone?"

"YEP! She's standing right next to me!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Can you put her on the phone?" a few seconds later Gabriella's mom came onto the phone. "Mommmmm" Gabriella cried into the phone.

"Sweetheart! What's wrong?" her mother wondered.

"I can't do it anymore, I can't keep it from _him_ anymore"

Gabriella's mom knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Sweetie, what happened?" Mrs. Montez asked. Gabriella explained everything to her from the pre-game stuff, to her and Troy's fight, to Sharpay and the paparazzi.

"I'm coming there, if you like it or not. I'm bringing Maddie with me. He needs to know, this can't go on much longer! The longer it gets, the worse it will be! Her and I will be on the next flight out to L.A." Gabriella's mom said.

"No MOM, that's an even worse idea! Don't!" Gabriella protested.

"I don't care Gabi, he needs to know, do you know how hard it's been keeping it from his parents!? THEY STILL LIVE HERE! I don't care we're coming." She exclaimed and then there was a click. Gabriella couldn't protest it anymore and if she liked it or not her mom was coming with her daughter, but not just her's, Troy's too.

"Oh god" Gabriella thought to herself as she curled into a ball on the floor crying. There was a knock on the door and Amanda came in, who ran over to her friend when she saw her on the floor.

"My mom's coming, with Maddie." Gabriella told her.

"Woah, what?"

"Yea, they're going to be on the next flight out"

"But-"

"I know'

Troy entered the room and Gabriella looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"What's-"

"You'll find out soon enough." Amanda said looking up at Troy who had the most puzzled look on his face. "I think we're just going to go" Troy nodded and helped the two girls up. Troy put a comfortingly hand on Gabriella's shoulder and she hugged him.

"She's right, you'll find out soon enough" Gabriella told Troy.

"Time" he replied.

"Sooner than you think" Gabriella said into Troy's chest.

"What was that?" Troy asked.

"Nothing, we just need to go, I'm sorry." Troy nodded and watched them walk out of his room and even out the front door. Along the way they pulled Mark along with them.

"What was that about?" Sharpay sniffed.

"I have no idea" Troy said.

"Time." He thought to himself "time". Troy didn't know that it was going to be sooner than he thought.

**HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM **

"How would you like to go see mommy?" Mrs. Montez asked her granddaughter.

"YEAAAAA!!!!" Maddie exclaimed as she jumped up and down.

"Okay well we just have to go check out air plane tickets" she said more to her self than to her granddaughter.

"I've NEVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE BEFORE!" Maddie exclaimed running after her Grandma. Mrs. Montez smiled and picked Maddie up. They both headed to the computer and were checking out all the possible flight times. Mrs. Montez was scrolling with no luck, none left until the next day and she needed something sooner. Her eyes then came fixated on one time. It was in three hours, it coming closer to midnight with every second, and there were actually a few seats left. Mrs. Montez booked two seats next to each other.

"Okay sweetheart, we have to head out if we're going to make it!" Mrs. Montez told Maddie. Maddie jumped off her lap and ran to her room. Mrs. Montez followed her and helped her pack. In her suitcase Maddie just threw her favorite stuff animals in.

"Sweetie, we need clothes." Mrs. Montez laughed.

"Oh."

"Come on grab your suitcase and we can put your clothes with mine."

Within the next half hour Mrs. Montez got her and her grand daughter packed, with clothes, and out the door. It was another half hour to the airport. Mrs. Montez put Maddie in her car seat, in the back and headed straight for the airport. They got to the airport, parked in the long-term parking lot and ran to the check in counter. They went through check in and security pretty quickly. On the way to the airport, Mrs. Montez called 411 asking for a "Best Western" in L.A. 411 had connected her to them and she asked the "Best Western" if they had any rooms left, luckily they did. She reserved one room and it was all they had left. She had also called 411 asking for a cab company in L.A. 411 had also connected her to the company and the company told her that there would be a cab meeting her at the airport when she arrived. Maddie and Mrs. Montez got to their gate with time to spare, so they sat down and waited. Maddie was so excited she was jumping up and down and her eyes were big. They sat near the window so Maddie could watch all the planes take off. With in the next hour they started boarding and within twenty minutes after that they were in the seats. Maddie had a window seat and luckily one of the few seats that were still open was right next to Mrs. Montez. Five minutes later they took off for Los Angeles. Maddie in no time was fast asleep and Mrs. Montez smiled thankfully to finally have a little peace and quiet. She too was fast asleep waitiong upon her arrival in the beautiful cit of Los Angeles.

(A/N: There you guys go again! Wow! I think that's the longest I have ever written! Well I hope you guys enjoy it! And thank you so much for everyone's reviews, they were great! I might have another chapter up very soon, don't know yet though)


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N) Quick question before we start, what are "oc's"? Anyways I hope you guys like it!**

**Disclaimer: I know how much I would love to, but I don't own HSM or any of the characters, this is all fiction, except you all already know that:**

By the time Mrs. Montez and Maddie settled into their hotel it was four in the morning and Maddie was still running on energy. How? Mrs. Montez didn't know. She was trying to get some sleep, but Maddie just kept bugging her.

"Gwwwannndmaaa!" Maddie whined. "Can't we do something? Pllleeeassse?"

"Maddie it's four am, FOUR! Normal people, and good little girls are in bed and asleep by now." Mrs. Montez told her lying on the bed. Mrs. Montez just shook her head. "Sometimes I think you're more like your father as the days go on sure you have your mother's intelligence, but I've never seen a more hyperactive granddaughter than you. And from what I'm told your father was a hyper active child growing up, doing this doing that, always having energy."

Maddie went silent, she loved hearing about her father because she never met him, well not yet anyways. She climbed into the bed with her Grandma and got under the covers. Mrs. Montez groaned a little.

"I thought you wanted your own 'Big girls bed'" Mrs. Montez asked Maddie.

"I did, no more. Too scary over there." Maddie said with a shudder. Mrs. Montez laughed and pulled her granddaughter close. There was finally about two minutes of silence until Maddie broke it.

"Gwandma… wh-wh-what was Daddy like?" she wondered. Maddie turned to face her grandmother's face and placed her two little hands on her face.

" Mmmm… I've said way too much for tonight, your mother has to tell you about Troy." Mrs. Montez told her sleepily, not realizing that she let her Granddaughter know the name of her father. Troy was never spoken about in the Montez household after Maddie was born, even though Maddie would always ask a million questions, wanting to know about her father, but Gabriella never budged on the subject.

"Troy…Troy…" Maddie repeated a million times.

"Mmmhmm" Mrs. Montez replied in her sleep. A few moments later Maddie was finally asleep dreaming about the father she never knew, the father that she desperately wanted to know. She dreamed about what he looked like, what his voice sounded like, just everything about him.

**HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM **

Gabriella couldn't sleep. She had too much to think about. Shit, how was she going to finally tell Troy that he has a daughter that she kept from him?

"God, he's going to be furious!" she thought to herself.

Gabriella also felt extremely sorry for walking out on Sharpay, in her time of need. Who walks out on a friend when she is in a situation like that, because Gabriella knew if she told her old friends about Maddie and they walked out on her she would have been devastated. But wasn't that reason she didn't tell anyone besides her family? God, now she was so confused.

"Sharpay is basically in the same position that I was in five years ago. I have to do something to help her out. Ohhhh, I know! Taylor and I can throw her a baby shower!" she thought to herself again. Her thoughts then drifted to her daughter.

"Oh My God, how is she going to react to having a father? Is she going to hate me? How are Troy and I going to make this work?" Tears came to her eyes. "Oh god, I think I've made the _biggest_ mistake of my life. How could I have been so naïve and stupid? " Gabriella started balling. She grabbed the pillow that was behind the one that she was using and hugged it tight. Gabriella let out all her feelings that she held out and cried herself to sleep.

**HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM **

Gabriella rolled over to see what time it was. Her cell phone was on the nightstand and it read nine-thirty. She grabbed it and walked out of the room. She walked down the hallway and into the family room. Amanda and Mark were already sitting on the couch. Amanda was engulfed in a magazine she was reading, while Mark was intently watching T.V. Gabriella took the smaller couch and sat down.

"We're going out to breakfast with everyone if you want to join." Mark stated never taking his eyes off the television.

"No thanks. My mom is supposed to come in to town with Maddie." Gabriella replied shaking her head. "I think I'm going to go call her." Amanda and Mark nodded their heads. Gabriella walked back out of the family room and back to the room where she has been staying. She went into her contacts and went down to "mom". Gabriella sat on the bed taping her finger on the back of her phone.

"Helllo?" her mom asked groggily.

"Hey Mom! I was just wondering what time your flight was."

"Mmmmm we're already here. We got in at four am."

"Oh wow. Do you want to meet up in a little bit? Walk around Los Angeles?"

"Sure sweetie! What time is it?"

"Nine-Thirty"

"Want to meet at ten? There's an I-Hop down the road from where we're staying. We're staying at the Best Western"

"Sounds good to me, see you at ten! Love You"

"Love you too."

Then there was a click. Gabriella ran over to her suitcase and pulled out an outfit. She than ran over to the shower and jumped in. Five minutes later she was already out, dressed and blow drying her hair, at the same time she was on the phone with a cab company, calling a cab. They said that a cab would be there within the next five minutes. Gabriella finished getting ready and scurried out of the room.

"Where are you off to?" Amanda asked.

"Breakfast with my Mom and Maddie. A cab is waiting for me outside." Gabriella said.

"Oh, we could have dropped you of on our way to breakfast! Do you want us to pick you up?" Mark wondered.

"Sure, that'd be great. It's the I-hop down the street from the Best Western" Gabriella told him.

"Okay I know where that is! Just call/text when you're done." Mark replied.

"Actually, I was thinking about taking Maddie to a zoo or something, would you mind?" Gabriella asked.

"No of course not! I want to meet your and Troy's love child anyways!" Mark joked and Amanda glared at him. Gabriella laughed and waved good-bye to them. Amanda than smacked him across the head.

"I swear to god! No one appreciates my humor!" Mark exclaimed. Gabriella was already out the door before Mark made his comment. Gabriella hopped into the cab that was waiting outside for her. She told the man who was driving where she needed to be and after the man put the cab back into drive they were off. A few minutes later Mark and Amanda were also off to meet Chad, Taylor, Sharpay, and Troy. They were meeting at Troy, Chad and Mark's favorite diner. Mark and Amanda pulled into the parking lot at the same time as Taylor and Chad. Chad and Taylor got out of the car before Mark and Amanda, but waited for them.

"No Gabriella?" Chad asked.

"No. She's with-" Mark started to say but Amanda stepped on his foot. "OWWWW!!!!" Amanda scolded him and mouthed the word "no" to him. Chad and Taylor just shrugged it off. Just then Troy and Sharpay pulled into the parking lot.

"Where's Gabriella?" Troy wondered getting out of the car and locking it.

"She's not feeling well." Amanda lied. "Why don't we just go inside?"

Everyone just shrugged and went inside. They got a table immediately and ordered with in five minutes of getting there.

**HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM**

"Mama!" Maddie exclaimed when saw her mother walking through the doors of I-Hop and jumped into her arms.

"Missed me?" Gabriella smiled and Maddie nodded.

"But I was _only_ gone a day!" Gabriella laughed.

"Day toooo lonnngggg!" Maddie told her snuggling up into the comfort of her mother's arms. Gabriella's smile grew wider, if that was at all possible.

"Hey Mom." Gabriella said hugging her mother.

"Hi sweetheart!" she replied.

"How many?" the hostess replied with a bright smile.

"FREE" Maddie giggled holding up "free", three, fingers.

The hostess showed them their way to their both.

"Thanks" Mrs. Montez and Gabriella chirped as they sat down. Maddie sat down next to her mother.

"So what are you getting Maddie?" Gabriella asked.

"Funny face, because it's funnnnnyy! It has chocolate chips and cherries and whip cream and and-"

"We know sweetie, you get the same thing every time we go." Mrs. Montez stated laughing.

"Oh." Maddie said looking down and grabbing the three, color crayon set she was given. She flipped the children's menu over and started coloring.

"So have you figured out how you're going to tell him?" Mrs. Montez asked but before Gabriella could respond their waitor walked up to them.

"Hey. My name is Aiden and I'll be your waiter today. Can I offer you guys anything to drink?"

"Maddie what do you want to drink?" Gabriella asked her looking down to her daughter.

"Milk" she replied never taking her crayon and her eyes off of the paper.

"I'll have water." Mrs. Montez said. "Gabi…?"

"I'll have water too." Gabriella told the waiter looking at her daughter's drawing. "Can I see it?" Gabriella placed a hand on her daughter's drawing, picked it up and looked at it. "Maddie. Who's this?" Gabriella pointed to a man in the picture.

"Do you like it?" Maddie inquired, snatching the picture back from her mother. "It's Daddy! Troy!"

"Wh-wh-what?" Gabriella asked and glanced over to her own mother who went wide eyed.

"Gwandma told me Daddy's name" Maddie replied in a small voice, putting her crayon down. She put her hand on her chin like she was thinking. "Mommy, how come you never say Daddy's name?". Maddie looked up into her mother's soft brown eyes and Gabriella looked into her daughter's bright blue ones. A tear came to Gabriella's eyes.

"Mom, what did you tell her?" Gabriella inquired, taking her eyes off of her daughter and looking at her Mom.

"All I did was tell her his name. There's no hurt in that Gabi." Mrs. Montez stated.

"I can't do this anymore! I can't live a lie anymore!" Gabriella yelled to no one in particular.

"Here are your drinks." The waiter said, placing the drinks down.

"Actually do you think we can have the bill?" Gabriella asked looking at the waiter, tears about to pour from her face.

"You know what, it's on the house." Aiden said re-picking the drinks up.

"Maddie, how would you like to meet- uh- Daddy?" Gabriella cried turning towards her daughter, who went wide eyed.

"Really?" she squealed.

"Yea." Maddie nodded furiously and stood up on the booth and started to jump up and down.

"Okay, well I'll just send Aunt Amanda a text asking her if she's still at breakfast with him." Gabriella sent a text to Amanda asking:

**U still bfast w/ every1?**

A minute later she got a text back saying:

**Yea y?**

Gabriella told her mom to call a cab on her cell phone. She replied to Amanda's text message with:

**I'm bringing Maddie to meet Troy. My Mom is calling a cab now.**

**HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM**

Amanda's mouth dropped open and every looked at her.

"What's wrong?" Mark questioned.

"Gabriella decided to come." She replied to him.

"Well that's good that she's feeling better!" Chad exclaimed.

"Yea. It is." Amanda sighed. Everyone went back to eating except for Mark.

"Is she bringing?" Mark asked.

"Yea." Amanda said looking down to her food, all of a sudden losing her appetite.

"Oh god this breakfast is going to get _**really**_ interesting." She thought to herself.

**HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM **

Gabriella and Maddie were in the cab. Mrs. Montez decided not to come, she wanted her daughter to do this on her own. Gabriella leaned back and sighed. Maddie just had a big smile on her face. She was ecstatic. Gabriella was trying to sort out how exactly she was going to tell Troy. With in twenty five minutes, Maddie and Gabriella were walking into the diner. Gabriella was holding Maddie and walked up to the front.

"How many?" a hostee asked.

"Two, no three. Can you like put us in the back, possibly where no one can hear us?" Gabriella wondered. The hostee looked at her weird, but nodded. They sat down at another booth and again Maddie was given a paper menu with Crayons, this time more to choose from.

"Stay here" Gabriella told her. "No getting up"

"But-"

"NO"

Gabriella got up from the booth and started to walk around the diner, looking around, then she spotted Troy and walked up to the table. She was breathing deep.

"GABI!" everyone exclaimed except for Amanda. Gabriella's head moved into the direction of where Maddie was sitting and Amanda nodded.

"Hey Troy… Can I-uh-talk to-uh-you-um-alone?" Gabriella asked.

"Uhhh… yea sure, of course." Troy replied getting up and started to walk with Gabriella.

"Troy there's something very important I have to tell you." She stated looking up at him. They were nearing the booth where Maddie was. He could tell that there was something major going on, he could read it in her eyes. Troy stopped and pulled Gabriella back a little.

"What is it?" he wondered. Troy looked sincere. Gabriella took a huge breath. Tears were already forming in her eyes.

"I've been going over and over this in my head trying to figure out how to tell you…" Troy took her hand in his. "I-you-we, yea we-we-um-have-a-um…daughter" Gabriella said the last part in almost a whisper.

"What did you say?" Troy wondered stunned, not sure if he heard her right.

"We have a daughter, together", she whispered in his ear. He immediately let go of her hand. Anger started to boil inside him and he started to get red in the face. Troy backed away from Gabriella a little.

"We have a daughter!?" Troy said through gritted teeth. "We have daughter that you **NEVER** told me about?" Gabriella nodded her head slowly. "I fucking can't believe you never told me!" Troy threw his hands up in the air. "How come you **NEVER** told me?"

"I was scared." Gabriella replied in a small voice. Tears were streaming down her face.

"SCARED OF WHAT?" Troy bellowed. People started looking at them weirdly, even their friends could hear the commotion and came to see what it was all about.

"Scared of how you would react, like you are now" Gabriella cried. Troy walked towards her.

"That's only because you didn't tell me we have a daughter!" Troy said just so they could hear, but he said it with so much anger. It made Gabriella cry harder. "I don't get you"

"Wh-wh-whattt??" Gabriella stated.

"Yesterday you gave me all this bullshit on how I didn't keep in touch and I how I need to give you _space _and _time_ and all this other crap. But look at you missy, you kept the single most important thing away from me. Those are years I won't get back Gabriella, first words, first baby steps! You know what I can't do this now. I need time to cool off." And with that Troy turned around and started to walk away.

"No Troy! Troy!" Gabriella yelled trying to pull him back. Troy just shook her off like she was a bug on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she called.

"Troy, what's going-" Sharpay started to talk but Troy glared at her. Troy pushed past his friends, slapped a ten on table for his share of the bill and ran out of the resturant. He didn't want to create even more of a commotion that he already was. Inside people were straing at him and Gabriella and even taking pictures that they would probably sell later to some gossip magazine or something. Gabriella fell to the floor balling.

"I'm going to get Maddie." Amanda said. Chad, Taylor and Sharpay looked confused, but Sharpay and Taylor rushed to Gabriella's side and helped her up.

"Gabi, what's wrong tell us. We're here for you, no matter what it is" Taylor told her trying to calm her down. Sharpay was rubbing Gabriella's back soothingly.

"Not here though." Gabriella cried. Amanda came back with Maddie.

"I'm going to take her to Mark's car, why don't we all just leave and go to Mark's house so we all can talk" Amanda suggested. Amanda took Maddie to Mark's car and sat with her while everyone else finished paying the bill. Once outside, Gabriella climbed Mark's car. Chad, Sharpay and Taylor got into Chad's car. Chad followed Mark out of the parking lot and all the way to his house. Gabriella was still crying once they got there, she even was crying when they got into Mark's house. Everyone, except for Amanda and Maddie were huddled in Mark's family room.

"Gabi, now can you tell us what's going on please? We're not going to judge you." Taylor begged. Gabriella nodded, explaining everything from Maddie to her and Troy's fight in the diner. Chad held her as she was crying. Gabriella looked up after a few minutes.

"Sharpay, I just wanted to apologize for my actions last night. I didn't mean anything by it and I was wondering, with Taylor's help and all if we could possibly throw you a baby shower." Gabriella sniffed. Sharpay got a little overwhelmed and even started crying herself, she felt touched and plus it had to be the hormones kicking in at that moment, she was nodding her head furiously. Sharpay got up and practically leaped on Gabriella, she gave her the biggest hug ever.

"Remember it has to be pink!" Sharpay squealed.

"Sharpay, you don't even know the sex of the baby yet!" Chad exclaimed shaking his head. Everyone just laughed.

"Will you help me tell Zeke?" Sharpay asked Gabriella in a whisper. Gabriella smiled and told Sharpay yes. Gabriella actually sighed a happy sigh. She was content at the moment. Gabriella was just happy to have her friends back. Yet. Somewhere in the back of her mind was Troy.

"Troy" she thought to herself. She sniffed she needed to talk to him, but decided to wait for him to come to her that way he'd be ready and calm to talk about everything going on.

"I think I'm going to take a nap" Gabriella announced.

"Hey wait, Gabi, do you mind if Sharpay, Taylor, Mark, Amanda and I take Maddie somewhere, so we can get to know her." Chad wondered.

"I think she'll like that." Gabriella smiled and walked away. She went into the room where she was staying and drifted into a soft sleep.

**(A/N: Hey guys I hope you enjoyed it, b/c I enjoyed writing it! So I'm gonna need some ideas for next chapter, please help! Thank you everyone for who has reviewed, I appreciate it!" :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Troy was in his car driving, where to, he had no idea. He was just trying to process what happened. He has a daughter! A DAUGHTER! What was he supposed to do, how was he supposed to react? Didn't he have every right to react the way he did, yes of course! Troy slammed his head against his steering wheel in frustration and anger. A song from his youth started playing somewhere.

"What the…" Troy thought to himself. "Oh shit." Troy was at a red light and put his car in park. He unbuckled and started rummaging around in his car for his phone. Lyrics saying: "Lifestyles of the rich and famous always complaining, always complaining". "Found it." Troy said to himself. He found it underneath the passenger's seat. There was a honk and Troy lifted his head up really fast and jumped up a little and hit his head on the roof of his car. "Oww" He rubbed his head back and forth. The ringing stopped. "Shit." He said to himself. Then there was another honk, followed by another one. "All right all right!" Troy yelled. He then pressed the gas, but he only rubbed the engine. Troy then realized that the car was in park. He put it in drive and continued his journey into nothingness. He finally decided where he actually wanted to go and started to head in that direction. A few moments later Troy was parked and heading his way into Starbucks. A swarm of photographers came on to him, snapping away.

"Troy, what was that fight about, back in the diner?" a photographer asked. Troy just smiled for the cameras and didn't respond.

"Who's the new girl?" another one asked. Again, Troy just smiled walking into Starbucks. Once inside his smile faded and we went up and ordered Grande skim mocha. He handed the cashier a Starbucks card he had. Troy's phone was beeping in his hand. He checked his "missed calls" and noticed it was from his mother. The cashier gave him back his card and Troy went to go wait for his mocha. He decided to call his mother back. Just then his phone started going off again and Troy smiled, it was his mother trying to call him again, he picked it up.

"Hey Mom."

"Troy, sweetheart when are you coming home for Christmas?" Mrs. Bolton wondered.

"I'm leaving Friday mom."

"Oh well, Daddy and I are excited for you to finally be coming home for Christmas! Everyone will be here! All your Aunts, Uncles and Cousins! Alexa is already here staying with us; your Uncle Robert is doing so well. He's really sick. Alexa is really excited to see you again! This Christmas is going to beat all those one's just you, Daddy and I in Los Angeles! Aunt Lori and I think this is going to be your Uncle Robert's last Christmas, sadly enough…"

Troy's mocha was ready and he grabbed it and walked back out to his car and just sat in it. Alexa was his little cousin she was eight, going on nine on exactly January first, 2016. Her mom walked out on her and her dad when she was about four. And now her, Alexa's Dad, Troy's Uncle, Mrs. Bolton's brother was sick, cancer sick. Troy was like her big brother always looking out for her, making sure she was okay, you know playing the over protective role as much as he could. Alexa even made special visits out to Troy's house in L.A. Alexa spent lots of time at Troy's house from his youth, since her dad was always in the hospital.

"Troy honey are you there?" Mrs. Bolton asked.

"What… oh yea, sorry Mom, I zoned out" Troy told her that's okay. There was a few seconds of silence until Troy spoke. "Mom, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, of course!"

"Did you know?"

"Know about what sweetie?"

"Know about Gabriella's-uh-mine-her's and mine-daughter"

"Well not technically, no." Anger started to boil in his veins.

"What do you mean not technically?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Don't get mad Troy. She didn't tell me no, if that's what your asking and neither did her Mother. She tried keeping things quiet, but you know how Albuquerque is, news travels fast around here! Many people here knew with in hours of the baby's birth. Dad and I always sent her money, secretly."

"What do you mean secretly?"

"We'd send cards with money in it about two times, three times a month, we never signed our names or wrote our address on it. Troy did you run into Gabriella and your daughter?' Troy explained everything to his mom, the first talk he had with Gabriella to the fight in the diner and walking out. Mrs. Bolton was angry and Troy could tell by the silence on the end of the phone.

"Mom?" he asked.

"TROY EDWARD BOLTON!" she yelled on the phone. Troy pulled the phone away from his ear and he could still hear his mother yelling at him. "YOU WALKED OUT ON GABRIELLA!" Mrs. Bolton took a huge breath to calm down. "Okay I will admit, you have every right to be angry that you missed these past few years of your daughter, but you had no right, no right to blow up like that on Gabriella. Oh and it's not like you kept your promise anyways."

Troy gulped. "What promise?"

"That promise that I know you both made to each other that you'd always stay in touch no matter what. For goodness sakes, Troy, she's not some rag doll or something, picking her up every time you decide to come home! You didn't even leave her e-mail, not even a phone number for her to call you and actually tell you what's going on! And I know you changed your cell phone number once you got to Los Angeles, because your dad and I had to hunt you down for it, but you didn't even have the decency to give it to the love of your life none the less the mother of your child. I know your history with her Troy, I know that one time when you actually finally came back home, and you saw her I knew something happened between you two. You two were getting back to your old selves again, like high school. Then what did you go do, you got up and left her Troy! YOU LEFT HER not the other way around! What else is she supposed to do other than NOT tell you! You should be thankful she even told you! You know girls like Gabriella don't come around too often! They're like finding a needle in the haystack! You didn't even meet her did you?"

"Wh-wh-what?"

"You didn't meet your daughter did you, you walked out before you could even meet her didn't you?" Then there was silence. "Troy I swear to god, you better fix this. You just created a whole mess that didn't need to be created." _Click_

"Mom, MOM!? HELLOOO?" Troy exclaimed. "Ugh, maybe she is _**right**_, why do mothers always have to be _**right**_, it's like it's in their nature or something. Fuck, I fucked up, I fucked up **BIG TIME**!" Troy turned on his car finally and hit a button on his radio tuner, making his radio channel "Aux 1" where he could play his Ipod through the radio, but with out the noise of a radio station. Troy hit the "shuffle" button on his Ipod and a familiar voice came on to it.

"_Once in a lifetime_

_means there's no second chance_…

Troy groaned and reached for his Ipod to turn the song off. He had the Ipod in his hand, ready to turn the song off, but he placed his Ipod back down and decided to let the song play.

_so I believe than you and me_

_should grab it while we can_…"

Troy put the car in drive and drove off. He had a destination in mind and he was determined to get there and soon!

**HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM HSM **

"But Mommmmmyyy, you said I would FINALLY get to meet Daddy!" Maddie cried.

"I don't know if that's going to happen today sweetie" Gabriella told her truthfully with her own tears in her eyes. Maddie just kept crying, it was tear after tear falling from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry" Gabriella apologized pulling her daughter into her lap.

Meanwhile, Mark, Amanda, Taylor and Chad and Sharpay we're in Mark's living room watching basketball highlights.

"Can't we watch something else?" Sharpay complained.

"Sharpay, look who you're dealing with, lunkhead basketball boys!" Taylor laughed.

"And there's no way you're going to pry that remote out of Mark's hands!" Amanda said also laughing. Just then the front door bell rang. It then rang, then again and no one was moving.

"Don't jump up or anything." Sharpay said getting up and getting the front door. She opened it and it revealed none other than Troy.

"Troy!" Sharpay exclaimed.

"Where's Gabriella?" he asked pushing past her and just walk in side.

"Hey! Woman carrying a child here!" Sharpay exclaimed as she was closing the front door.

"Uhhh sorry. But where's Gabriella?"

"Troy!" everyone else yelled.

"Gabriella!" Troy called out. "Gabriella!"

Gabriella was in the room and heard her name being called. Troy ran past everyone.

"First door on the right!" Mark yelled to Troy. Troy got there and ran inside Gabriella immediately stood up.

"Gabriella, I am so sorry. I fucked up, I fucked up bad…"

"Ummm-erm-" Gabriella said interrupting him and looking back towards the bed where Maddie was. Troy froze and looked over to where Gabriella was looking.

"I am…"

"Save it, for right now, come here." Gabriella said motioning for him to come over to her. Gabriella met him half way. She casually grabbed his hand and led him over to the bed, where Troy and Gabriella sat down. Gabriella took a big breath.

"Troy-this-is-Maddie, Maddie-this-is-your-father, Troy." Gabriella told them introducing them.

"Hi." Troy said looking into Maddie's eyes.

"Hi." She replied back in a small voice. Maddie moved closer and closer to him. Gabriella was crying watching the two interact. Maddie stood up on the bed coming eye to eye with Troy. She was reaching out slowly, like she was going to burn if she touched him. Maddie took one of her fingers and poked Troy in the face.

"Maddie!" Gabriella exclaimed.

"You are _real_!" Maddie exclaimed. Troy smiled, what she did next made Gabriella cry even harder and Troy to tear up. Maddie flung her little arms around Troy's neck and jumped into him. Troy caught her.

"Da-Da-Daddy." Maddie said carefully, like it was her first word ever. She locked eyes with Troy. Troy nodded crying a bit. "DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY! DADDDDDDDYYYYYYY!"

Troy pulled her close and just held her. Maddie nuzzled her head into his shoulder and Troy didn't want to let go of her. Troy looked at Gabriella and motioned for her to come over. Maddie looked up and also reached out for her Mom. Gabriella got closer and the three of them had a group hug. Gabriella's head was in Troy's chest and she was sobbing uncontrollably. Troy kissed the top of Maddie's head then Gabriella's but he lingered there longer. Chad, Taylor, Mark, Amanda, and Sharpay were in the doorway watching the moment play before them.

"This is such a beautiful moment!" Sharpay stated crying.

"I think it's those pregnancy hormones getting to you Sharpay!" Chad laughed and then was smacked across the head by both Amanda and Taylor. Troy and Gabriella looked towards the doorway and just laughed. Gabriella looked back at Troy and their eyes locked.

"Hey Maddie why don't you, Uncle Chad, Uncle Mark, Aunt Amanda, Aunt Sharpay and I all go do something, we can go to the Zoo?" Taylor suggested walking towards her. Maddie looked back towards her parents, like asking permission. They both nodded. Maddie hugged her mother goodbye and then hugged her Daddy goodbye too.

"Bye baby" Troy told Maddie kissing her on the forehead then her nose. Maddie giggled and gave him another hug.

"A-A-re you go-go-going to b-be here when I get back?" Maddie asked in all seriousness. She had a look of fear on her face, afraid that Troy was going to leave her.

"I'm not going anywhere." He told her with a big smiled on his face. Maddie gave him a kiss on the cheek and one last hug. She then ran over to where Taylor was standing and grabbed her hand. Taylor smiled as the little girl pulled her, Chad, Amanda, Mark and Sharpay down the hallway and out the door, exclaiming about how she wanted to see "Monkeys!"

"Do you want something to drink?" Troy asked Gabriella.

"Ummmm… sure, but you know this isn't your house." She replied. Troy laughed.

"It basically is. When I'm not home, I'm either here or at Chad's and usually we're here because Mark has all the game consoles you can think of!" Troy laughed again Gabriella just laughed. "Men" she thought.

"OJ?" he asked her

"Of course you know it's my favorite drink!"

"I know." There was silence for a few minutes as they sat at the kitchen.

"Troy I'm-"

"No, Ella let me talk first?" Gabriella nodded.

"I talked to my mom today, and she kinda sense into me…"

"She was always good at that wasn't she?" Gabriella joked.

"Making wise cracks now are we Montez? Anyways, I'm sorry for the way I've treated you. I'm sorry for never keeping in touch with you that was all my fault. I kept changing my number and e-mail and home addresses kept changing everything and I was all over the board. I never really gave you a chance to even let you get a hold of me, so you could tell me about our beautiful daughter. I'm sorry you had to go through that alone, I can just imagine how it must have been. I'm sorry for walking out on you and leaving you in the dust. I've fucked up big time and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for missing out on the beginning of our daughter's life. This is all my fault. Gabriella there wasn't a day that went on that I did not think about you. You were my life, my everything, my music and I just screwed everything up that I had with you." Gabriella smiled at the "music" part. For like the millionth time that day she had tears running off her cheeks. Gabriella was sitting next to Troy and took her hand and rubbed his cheek with her hand. Troy turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand.

"Troy…" she muttered. Gabriella leaned forward a little and pressed her forehead to his. "I'm sorry too". They both smiled at each other and rested their foreheads on each other for a few seconds. Gabriella and Troy both leaned in slightly and brushed their lips against each other's for a soft kiss. They pulled back and smiled at each other. Troy pulled Gabriella in for another kiss, this time more passionate than the first.

"I'm sorry! I'm very forgetful" Chad said as he walked into the kitchen with Taylor and saw the sight that was about to go on.

"Ahem" Taylor coughed. Chad had a smirk on his face and Taylor was beaming like mad. Troy and Gabriella both broke apart and jumped back a little from each other.

"Uhhh…" Troy said as he scratched the back of his head. Gabriella was blushing furiously. Chad grabbed his wallet that he yet again, left on the kitchen table.

"I guess you could say that love never dies" Gabriella told them. "No matter how much you love someone and they break your heart, you never stop loving them, even though you keep telling yourself that you'll get over them, Love never dies"

"Guess not" Taylor agreed smiling.

**THE END :**

**(A/N: Ahhh sorry I ended it, but I just needed to somehow end it! I was running out of ideas! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story! I enjoyed reading every single review! They helped a lot too: Keep looking for stories by me:) **

**EPILOGUE:**

Sharpay was pacing around the room.

"Sharpay chill, he'll be here soon". Troy told her.

It was the day after Christmas and Troy, Sharpay, Maddie and Gabriella were all in Gabriella's apartment in Albuquerque. Maddie was in her dad's lap on the couch and Gabriella was on the other end. There was a ding and Gabriella and Troy both looked at Sharpay.

"Whhatt?" she asked. "This is your place" Sharpay pointed to Gabriella and Gabriella she rolled her eyes.

"Maddie can you go play in your room for a little bit?" Gabriella told her. Maddie jumped off of her daddy's lap and ran to her room.

Gabriella got up and answered the door.

"Gabi!" a dark skinned, short haired young man exclaimed.

"Zeke!" she mimicked.

"So where's the little rascal that you want me to meet?"

Gabriella let him in and closed the door behind him.

"Actually that's not the reason why I invited you over, well it is but not the _**main **_reason".

"Huh?" he asked. "Troy, my man! How are the Lakers?"

"Zek!" Troy said getting up and giving him a "manly" hug. "We're good, we're good."

"Ahem" Gabriella stated tapping her feet in annoyance.

"You would think that she's been hanging out with Sharpay or something." Zeke joked and then his eyes laid upon a brilliant blonde haired woman. "Sharpay, baby, wh-wh-what are you doing here?"

"Zeke, why-don't-you-um-sit down." Sharpay suggested. Zeke shot Sharpay a weird look. He thought he was going to get murdered or something by the comment he had just made but she either didn't hear it or chose to ignore it. He looked around the room as he took a seat.

"Guys, what's going on?" he asked looking from Troy to Gabriella to Sharpay back to Troy then resting his eyes on Sharpay.

"There'ssomethingIhavetotellyou." Sharpay blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Sharpay went over and sat on the arm of the couch, next to Zeke.

"I-urm-need-to-um-talk-to-um-urm-you" she said in a small voice just loud enough for Zeke to hear. Sharpay looked over towards Troy and Gabriella and they both gave her the go ahead.

"Baby, I don't know what your nervous about, but you know you can tell me _anything_" he told her sincerely, looking up at her, she nodded.

"I'm pregnant" she stated looking down.

"What?" Zeke asked breaking into a smile.

"I said I'm pregnant" she replied tearing up.

"I know, I heard you the first time, I just wanted to hear it again" he smiled.

Sharpay locked eyes with him and fell onto him and started crying.

"It's going to be okay, Shar, shhhh baby please don't cry. I'm going to be with you every step of the way. This isn't a bad thing, this is a good thing. I mean yea it wasn't planned, but this is a blessing and I believe that this baby will make our relationship even stronger" Zeke said trying to calm Sharpay down.

"I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm crying because I'm happy! I was scared that you were going to yell and scream."

"That's Sharpay our little drama queen!" Troy whispered to Gabriella who had smacked Troy across the head. "OW!" There was a little giggle that came from behind them and Troy and Gabriella. Maddie's head was poking out of her room.

"Were you laughing at daddy?" Troy asked Maddie in mock hurt.. She shook her head no. "No, Are you sure?" She shook her head no. Maddie giggled again. "It was you! You're sooooooo going to get it!" Troy started running towards her and Maddie bolted out of her room and down the hallway crawling underneath her daddy's legs to get by and ran over to her mommy.

"Mommy!" she exclaimed hiding behind her.

"Not-uh-no way am I getting involved in this one!" Gabriella exclaimed stepping aside. Troy grabbed Maddie quickly and picked her up. Troy started spinning her around and tickling her.

"Daddddyyy stop it! Stoppp!" Maddie giggled. Troy stopped, but didn't put her down. He walked over to Zeke and Sharpay.

"Zek, this is my little girl, Maddie, Maddie this is your uncle Zeke, Daddy played basketball with him in high school" Troy informed his daughter.

"Ohhh with Uncle Chad tooo?"

"Yepp"

"Hiya!" Maddie giggled sticking out her hand to shake Zekes. Zeke laughed and shook her hand.

"She's beautiful." Zeke said ruffling Maddie's hair.

"Thank you!" Maddie and Troy both replied in unison. Maddie looked at her daddy and smiled. Troy gave her an Eskimo kiss and she started giggling furiously. Zeke stepped back to Sharpay and put an arm around her and on her ever growing stomach. Zeke smiled at Sharpay and then kissed her, a soft slow kiss. They both knew that everything was going to be okay and they were happy with that. Everything was good.


End file.
